Narrow stone steps led down into the well. The two followed the steps and arrived at an underground grotto.

The grotto was not large. Many stalactites hung from the ceiling, some with faintly glowing moss, making the atmosphere even more eerie.

A few scattered figures stood in the shadows of the corners or sat on casually placed stone stools, far apart from each other, conversing in low whispers. Their voices were particularly indistinct in the underground space.

The grotto was dim, and flickering shadows cast the figures onto the jagged rock walls like ghostly silhouettes in a shadow play.

Yu Heyě led Sūn Língtóng directly to a corner of the grotto.

There, a figure wearing a loose grey robe with a hood almost entirely covering their face sat cross-legged on a flat boulder. They had no stall in front of them, sitting motionless like a stone statue.

Yu Heyě and Sūn Língtóng stopped in front of them.

Yu Heyě whispered, “Do you have any goods?”

The grey-robed cultivator did not nod. The space around them subtly warped, revealing several hovering, grayish-white ceramic jars.

“The goods are all here,” they said.

Yu Heyě slightly turned his head and glanced at Sūn Língtóng beside him.

Sūn Língtóng had naturally disguised himself, his height and build indistinguishable from an adult.

He immediately activated his divine sense and probed into the grey jars.

Each grey jar contained at least one soul.

The souls of the Qi Refining stage numbered in the hundreds, gathered in the smallest grey jar. Most of these souls were merely vague, dark humanoid light clusters, like grey mist, unconsciously wriggling and colliding within the container, emitting silent screams, their faces contorted, filled with instinctive fear and pain.

Most of the grey jars contained souls of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Their forms were much more solidified than those of the Qi Refining stage, with clearly discernible facial features and even characteristics of their clothing from before death.

Their colors were mostly pale white or light blue, with expressions of anger, despair, or numbness.

They struck the container walls more frequently, their soul bodies fluctuating violently, leaving afterimages within the containers. Some seemed to retain a faint consciousness, their empty eyes gazing out of the container.

There was only one Gold Core stage soul.

It was sealed in the largest grey jar. Its soul body was almost solid, emitting a faint but clear spiritual pressure. It was fiery red, clearly indicating that it had cultivated some fire-attribute technique in life.

The hatred contained in the eyes of the Gold Core stage soul was incredibly dense, causing Sūn Língtóng to secretly feel a chill.

It remained almost still, secretly accumulating strength, evidently also trying to break free from its cage and regain liberty. However, it was more strategic and patient than the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stage souls.

Sūn Língtóng observed for a moment, then nodded with satisfaction, “Good, I’ll take all of these.”

The grey-robed cultivator was slightly taken aback.

Yu Heyě, beside him, was also surprised, not expecting this transaction to be much larger than he had imagined.

The grey-robed cultivator asked, “Are you sure?”

Sūn Língtóng directly took out a Ghost Dao Gold Core and handed it to the other party, “Check it. We can adjust the price if needed.”

Sūn Língtóng adopted an air of wealth and power.

The grey-robed cultivator gasped inwardly, becoming suspicious, “What is this person’s background? I’m just selling the souls of Gold Core cultivators. Yet this person directly takes out a Gold Core!”

He slowly reached out, took the Ghost Dao Gold Core, examined it, and confirmed its authenticity. When he looked at Sūn Língtóng again, his attitude had drastically changed.

He cupped his hands and bowed, “May I ask for your esteemed name,阁下?”

Sūn Língtóng smiled slightly, “You can call me Elder Sūn.”

Sūn Língtóng’s disguise was that of a middle-aged man. Even if someone were to see through his disguise and discover his true form as a child, they would be perplexed. After all, this appearance was very different from the address “Elder Sūn.”

This was precisely Sūn Língtóng’s cunning style—a mix of truth and falsehood, making it difficult for others to understand his intentions.

The grey-robed cultivator then respectfully addressed him as, “Elder Sūn.”

Sūn Língtóng nodded slightly, his brows furrowed, and then directly asked, “These souls… are they truly all heinous criminals who deserved to die?”

The grey-robed cultivator chuckled, “Elder Sūn worries too much. We wouldn’t dare to collect or sell those who aren’t unforgivable villains, whose souls are scattered and even that is too light a punishment.”

“The Myriad Manifestation Sect is a reputable sect. If we were to sell innocent souls here, it would be suicide!”

“Doing this small business for such meager profits, if we had to risk beheading, only a fool would do it!”

Sūn Língtóng was silent for a moment, accepting this explanation, his gaze lingering on the struggling souls in the containers. He suddenly spoke, “Do you have… Confucian cultivator souls?”

“Confucian cultivator?” The grey-robed cultivator’s eyebrows seemed to twitch under his hood, his gaze resting on Sūn Língtóng again for a moment. He was silent for a few breaths, seemingly recalling his inventory.

He hesitated, but finally uttered a single word: “Yes.”

Then he added, “And… of excellent quality.”

“Oh?” Sūn Língtóng’s eyes lit up.

Confucian cultivators who turned to the Demonic Path were relatively rare. This was because the Confucian school of cultivation inherently shaped one’s thoughts and values.

Confucian cultivators emphasized benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, so the number of people who defected to the Demonic Path was much smaller than among Daoists or Buddhists.

Sūn Língtóng was there for Níng Zhuó, carrying Níng Zhuó’s wishes.

Níng Zhuó was currently diligently cultivating Confucian spells, and his academic prowess was soaring. He deeply understood how important academic prowess was for him to learn from various sources and ultimately specialize in mechanization. Naturally, he had a stronger demand for Confucian cultivator souls.

However, both Sūn and Níng knew that Demonic Path Confucian cultivators were indeed relatively rare. Therefore, their expectations were very low.

So, when Sūn Língtóng received the grey-robed cultivator’s affirmative response, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of pleasant surprise.

“What is the price?” Sūn Língtóng immediately asked.

He had already made up his mind that even if the other party quoted an exorbitant price, he would acquire it.

Sūn Língtóng was extremely knowledgeable about Níng Zhuó’s cultivation status. The two never concealed anything from each other in this regard. Therefore, Sūn Língtóng was very clear about the enormous significance and help that Confucian cultivator souls would bring to Níng Zhuó!

The grey-robed cultivator was silent for a moment before speaking, “This person… is somewhat special. I’m not yet sure if I can get this person’s soul and sell it to you.”

Sūn Língtóng frowned, “What’s the reason?”

He then added, “The price is negotiable.”

The grey-robed cultivator did not immediately respond with a price, but instead looked at Yu Heyě beside him, “Actually, to be honest, many fellow disciples in the Myriad Manifestation Sect know about him. This person is quite well-known. His name is… Qín Dé.”

“Qín Dé?!” Yu Heyě clearly knew the name, his face showing a mix of realization and a hint of apprehension, “It’s him! The disgrace of Confucianism.”

Sūn Língtóng, however, was now utterly confused.

Yu Heyě explained in a low voice, “This person committed a taboo, causing a great stir back then, but the higher-ups have been suppressing it with all their might. Naturally, any information ordinary people might obtain would have been censored and wouldn’t include this person.”

Sūn Língtóng immediately felt curious and carefully inquired about this person’s background.

“The Scripture of the Great Sage Thief?” He heard it for the first time, and especially when he heard the name of the Demonic Path Confucian cultivation technique, his heart actually pounded faster a few times, and a spiritual intuition struck him, making him shiver.

Sūn Língtóng inexplicably realized, “This cultivation technique seems extremely important to me?!”

He concealed his surprise and quickly reviewed the information about Qín Dé in his mind.

Qín Dé was originally a young Confucian cultivator with a promising future, thoroughly knowledgeable in various Confucian classics, highly learned, and talented.

But perhaps it was precisely because he had read so many classics that he actually created a cultivation technique of his own, named “The Scripture of the Great Sage Thief.”

This technique linked sages and great thieves, asserting that the higher a cultivator’s personal character and merit, the more powerful their thieving techniques would become, receiving massive amplification!

This cultivation technique was too sinister, almost leading all Confucian cultivators towards becoming thieves.

And the ideas about Qín Dé, as projected from “The Scripture of the Great Sage Thief,” further convinced the Confucian group led by Duānmù Zhāng that Qín Dé had fallen, his thoughts twisted, having read too much to the point of becoming possessed!

Therefore, after advice, persuasion, coercion, and other methods failed, Duānmù Zhāng and others had no choice but to explain to the sect, then defeat and imprison Qín Dé.

Qín Dé had been imprisoned in the Cloud Prison for over thirty years.

The grey-robed cultivator recounted that after Qín Dé created his cultivation technique, he committed several major theft cases. This person was indeed deeply sinful.

But Sūn Língtóng now had a new concern: “There are many Confucian cultivators within the Myriad Manifestation Sect, and they are very united. What do they think of Qín Dé?”

The grey-robed cultivator chuckled, “You can rest assured on that point. Qín Dé has fallen deep into the Demonic Path and is beyond redemption. The Confucian community completely abandoned him over ten years ago.”

“They even proposed multiple times to destroy Qín Dé, to nip this evil ideology in the bud and prevent it from polluting the orthodox Confucian tradition.”

“If you can eliminate Qín Dé, I think it would actually earn you the gratitude of the Confucian cultivators.”

At this point, the grey-robed cultivator had thought it through and officially quoted a price: “According to market price, a peak Gold Core soul sells for 300,000 mid-grade spirit stones.”

“The rarity of a Confucian cultivator’s characteristics, rarely seen in the market, adds another 100,000 mid-grade spirit stones.”

“Furthermore, this cultivator is imprisoned in the Cloud Prison, and it requires significant expenses to clear the way. In total, I will charge you 400,000 mid-grade spirit stones.”

Yu Heyě’s pupils contracted slightly.

He was also a Gold Core cultivator, and this amount was undoubtedly excessive for him.

If it were him, he would absolutely not shell out such a large sum of spirit stones just to purchase a Gold Core level soul.

But Sūn Língtóng merely smiled, “I’ll buy it. This is the deposit.”

He then slapped down another Ghost Dao Gold Core.

The grey-robed cultivator immediately felt a sense of awe, thinking to himself, “Two Gold Cores in a row—this person is reminding me that he’s not to be trifled with! Trade well, or the outcome will be like that of the Gold Core owner…”

He took the Gold Core, “Then I shall trouble Elder Sūn to wait for some time and await good news from my side.”

Sūn Língtóng nodded, “Don’t intentionally delay. If a month or two passes and there’s still no goods, how will we settle the account? After all, we need them urgently.”

The grey-robed cultivator smiled confidently, “Rest assured, Qín Dé has long been forgotten, perpetually imprisoned in the Cloud Prison. It’s perfectly reasonable for him to suddenly die, unable to endure it any longer.”

“I’ve been doing business here for so many years, Daoist Yu Heyě knows that I’ve always been fair to all, with reputation as my top priority!”

“I can get it for you in a week at most.”

Seeing the grey-robed cultivator’s confidence, Sūn Língtóng felt even more assured, “Good, in that case, let’s sign a contract.”

The grey-robed cultivator nodded without hesitation. This was naturally expected. He was truly confident in this aspect. He had done such business too many times and was very familiar with the process.

The Hall of Exorcism.

Within the formation space.

Central stone platform.

The elderly cultivator looked at Níng Zhuó with satisfaction, “I have one last question.”

Níng Zhuó extended his hand, “Please ask, Senior. This junior will answer everything I know, truly from the bottom of my heart.”

In his divine sea Dantian, the “My Buddha Heart Demon Seal” radiated brightly.

The elderly cultivator’s voice suddenly deepened, as if carrying immense weight, pressing down on Níng Zhuó: “Third question: In the struggle for the Great Dao, calamity is inescapable. If one day, you must sacrifice your flesh and blood, burn your divine soul and true essence, in order to sever a monstrous demonic catastrophe and save billions of lives from impending doom…”

“And after this act, your name, your Dao, all traces of your existence, may be defiled by demonic corruption, reviled and misunderstood by the world, eternally cast into endless darkness, never to return… Are you willing to go?”

Silence.

After this question, the air on the stone platform seemed to solidify.

The high-ranking cultivators of the Hall of Exorcism stared at Níng Zhuó expressionlessly, not missing the slightest change in his demeanor.

Níng Zhuó frowned deeply, lowered his head, looked at the stone bricks beneath his feet, and fell into deep thought.

The cultivators of the Hall of Exorcism held a hidden expectation. As time silently passed, they gradually became anxious.

The three questions of the Hall of Exorcism were a hidden assessment, only for the most outstanding participants in the first round of the Xīngyún Minor Test.

Among those who answered, the vast majority passed the first two questions, but very few passed the third.

This was because the third question was indeed too stringent.

To sacrifice oneself to death was already heroic, let alone to bear eternal infamy?

For the righteous path of humanity, must one truly sacrifice oneself to such an extent?

What did people pursue justice for?

“It’s alright, just answer from your heart,” the elderly cultivator, seeing Níng Zhuó’s prolonged silence, could not help but remind him.

He worried that Níng Zhuó might lie and be detected.

If that happened, Níng Zhuó would be thoroughly eliminated, and the entire Hall of Exorcism would be permanently closed to him, with no possibility of future employment.

They, however, did not realize that Níng Zhuó was not thinking about this matter, but about his own situation.

Níng Zhuó already had a clear perception: “I have the protection of the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal; it cannot detect my true feelings.”

“I naturally know how to answer to pass smoothly.”

“But if I do that, I will likely take first place.”

First place…

This would be the third first place in the Xīngyún Minor Test.

In this way, Níng Zhuó would be the first to gain qualification, allowing him to exchange his wooden plaque for a stone plaque earlier than most.

He would stand out in this first round of the Xīngyún Minor Test, becoming a rising star on par with Sītú Xīng and others!

Previously, Níng Zhuó had also passed Chē Zhūzǐ’s Xīngyún Minor Test and achieved good results. However, Chē Zhūzǐ did not acknowledge Níng Zhuó as the first-place winner.

Chē Zhūzǐ still intended to use this reward to attract more people to participate in his Xīngyún Minor Test, so he naturally wouldn’t announce it prematurely.

The Xīngyún Minor Test could be held in multiple rounds, but the granting of first place was only once.

There were many halls in the Hall of Exorcism, but if Níng Zhuó were granted first place this time, then even though such Xīngyún Minor Tests could still continue to be held, no second person could be granted the honor of first place.

Níng Zhuó stood at a crossroads of choices.

Should he endure and remain low-key like in the Huǒshì Immortal City?

Or should he give up the current opportunity but secure first place later, just not in Sītú Xīng’s first round, following the middle path?

Or should he seize the current opportunity, be the first to collect three first places, be crowned with honor, and stride forward with confidence?